Portable firearm for firing bombs



Sept. 28, 1937. L. sAvANl 2,094,305

PORTABLE FIREARM FOR FIRING BOMBS Original Filed July 13, 1934 @www Patented Sept. 28, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PORTABLE FIREARM FOR FIRING BOIWBS Luigi Savani, Milan, Italy, assignor to Societa Italiana Ernesto Breda per Costruzioni Meccaniche, Milan, Italy 7 Claims.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 735,033, filed July 13, 1934. The present invention relates in general to portable rearms and more particularly has reference to a grenade and bomb-projecting attachment for ries.

An object of this invention is to provide a grenade and bomb-projecting attachment for rifles, comprising a grenade and bomb-projecting barrel and adjustable means for conducting Variable quantities of explosion gases from the barrel of the rifle into said grenade and bomb-projecting barrel to vary the range of projection.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bomb-projecting attachment for rii'les, including means in the bomb barrel for imparting a rotary movement to the bomb upon projection.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a bomb-projecting attachment for rifles having an externally rified sleeve mounted coaxially on the bombprojecting barrel and adapted to cooperate with an internally riiled extension on the bomb to impart a rotary motion to the bomb when projected.

25 In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing which shows, by way of example, a preferred embodiment.

In the drawing:

30 Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view,

illustrating the bomb-projecting attachment applied to a rifle.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the structure of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevational View of the bomb-projecting attachment.

Fig. l is an end or bottom View of the bombprojecting attachment.

Fig. 5 is a side view, partly in section of a bomb.

In the drawing, in which similar reference 'characters designate the same or similar parts, the rie I is shown with the bomb-projecting attachment tted on the rifle barrel 2. As more clearly shown in Fig. 2, the bomb-projecting attachment embodies an externally screw-threaded machine 3 having a socket adapted to receive the muzzle of the rifle barrel and having an axial bore 4 coaxial with the bore of the rie barrel. Member 3 is also provided with an offset tubular extension 5, in which is' mountedv an attaching arm 6. The lower end of arm B is equipped with a socket 'I and locking bolt 8 ladapted to cooperate with the bayonet-attaching lug 9 of the rie to securely mount the member 3 on the muzzle of the rifle barrel.

Again referring to Fig. 2, it will be observed that an internally and externally threaded sleeve I0 is mounted coaxally on the screw-threaded portion of member 3. The upper portion of sleeve I0 has its internal diameter reduced to approximately the size of bore l and is provided with a plurality of passages II for the lateral escape of explosion gases. The upper portion of sleeve I0 carries a tube I2, the external surface of which is ried as indicated by reference character i3. Passages I4 are provided between the tube I2 and the member I0 through which the gases escaping from passages I I may be conducted into the tube l2. An annular valve body I5 is arranged about the sleeve I0 for controlling the flow of gases through the circular passage formed between the lower edge I'I of tube I2 and the annular edge I8 of barrel I6.

The bomb-projecting barrel I5 is threadedly mounted on the external threaded portion of sleeve I0 and is adapted to be axially adjusted relatively to sleeve I0 by means of the Screwthreaded mounting. This construction provides a bomb-projecting barrel I6 with the central tube I2 positioned coaxially therein.

At this point it should be observed that the lower edge of tube I2 projects downwardly below the upper portion of sleeve Ill to form a seat I'I for valve I5 which is moved up to its seat by means of the annular rib I8, formed at the upper screw-threaded portion of barrel I6.

In practice, a bomb 20 is placed in barrel I6 and is formed with a skirt-like extension which surrounds tube I2. Rilling or other means are formed on the interior of the extension of the bomb which cooperate with the riiling on the tube I2 to cause the bomb to rotate when projected.

By directing the gases escaping from passages II through passages I4 into the interior of tube I2, the propulsive force imparted to the bomb may be increased. For this purpose the barrel I6 is rotated to shift the valve body I5 to Vary the quantity of gases escaping between the tube I2 and barrel I6 to enable the marksman to determine the position of valve body I5 and the range of the projector, indicia are arranged on the ex' terior of the barrel as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. When the barrel I6 is in its uppermost position, the valve body I5is gripped between seat I'I and rib I8 so that all of the gases `discharged irom barrel 4 will flow through the central bore of member IIJ and the passages II and I4 into the interior of tube I2. 1 A sighting mechanism I9 for use with the bomb-projecting attachment is also carried by the member 3.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I Wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein set forth by Way of illustration, as it is apparent that many changes and variations may be made therein by those skilled in the art, Without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the appended claims. Y

I claim:

l. A bomb-projecting attachment for rines, comprising a bomb-projecting barrel, an eX- ternally riled tube coaXially positioned in said barrel and adapted to cooperate with an internally riiied extension of a bomb to impart a rotary motion to the bomb upon projection, means for detachably mounting said tube and bomb-projecting barrel coaXially on the muzzle of a rifle, said mounting means having a bore in axial alignment with the bore of the rifle for conveying explosion gases from the rifle to said tube, said mounting means also having passages for the escape of gases from the bore thereof into said bomb-projecting barrel, and means actuated by an axial displacement of said bomb-projecting barrel on said mounting means for controlling the flow of gases through said passages.

2. A bomb-projecting attachment for rifles, comprising a tubular member for attachment to the muzzle of a rifle barrel and provided with a bore in alignment with the bore of the riiie barrel, a sleeve mounted on said member and having a bore registering with the bore in said member, a tube carried by and surrounding the outer portion of said sleeve, a bomb-projecting barrel mounted on said sleeve and surrounding said tube in spaced relation thereto adapted to receive a bomb having a tubular projection which surrounds said tube for receiving the explosion gases discharged from the muzzle of the rie throughy the bore of said member into said tube, said sleeve having passages for the escape of gases from its bore into the bomb-projecting barrel, and means for directing gases, escaping from said passages, into said tube.

3. A bomb-projecting attachment for ries, comprising a tubular member for attachment to the muzzle of a rifle barrel and provided with a bore in alignment with the bore of the rifle barrel, a sleeve mounted on said member and having a bore registering With the bore in said member, a tube carried by and surrounding the outer portion of said sleeve, a bomb-projecting barrel mounted on said sleeve and surrounding said tube in spaced relation thereto adapted to receive a bomb having a tubular projection which surrounds said tube for receiving the explosion gases discharged from the muzzle of the rifle through the bore of said member into said tube, said sleeve having passages for the escape of gases from its bore into the bomb-projecting barrel, an annular valve body surrounding said sleeve adjacent said passages, and means carried by said bomb-projecting barrel for forcing said valve body into engagement with the lower portion of said tube to prevent the flow of gases into said bomb-projecting barrel and to deflect the same into said tube. Y f

H4. A bomb-projecting attachment for rifles, comprising a tubular member for attachment to the muzzle of a rifle barrel and provided With a bore in alignment with the bore of the rie barrel, a sleeve'mounted on said member and having a bore registering with the bore in said member, a tube carried by and surrounding the outer portion of said sleeve, -a bomb-projecting barrel mounted on said sleeve and surrounding said tube in spaced relation thereto adapted to receive a bomb having a tubular projection Which surrounds said tube for receiving the explosion gases discharged from the muzzle of the rifle through the bore of said member into said tube, said sleeve having passages for the escape of gases from its bore into the bomb-projecting barrel, means for directing gases, escaping from said passages, into said tube, and riiiing on the exterior of said tube adapted to cooperate with internal riing on a tubular extension of a bomb for imparting rotary motion thereto, upon projection.

5. A bomb-projecting attachment for ries, comprising a tubular member for attachment to the muzzle of a rifle barrel and provided with a bore in alignment with the bore of the rifle barrel, a sleeve mounted on said member and having a bore registering with the bore in said member, -a tube carried by and surrounding the outer portion of said sleeve, a bomb-projecting barrel mounted on said sleeve and surrounding said tube in spaced relation thereto adapted to receive a bomb having a tubular projection which surrounds said tube for receiving the explosion gases discharged from the muzzle of the rifle through the bore of said member into said tube, said sleeve having passages for the escape of gases from its bore into the bomb-projecting barrel, an annular valve body surrounding said sleeve adjacent said passages, means c-arried by said bomb-projecting barrel for forcing said valve body into engagement with the lower portion of said tube to prevent the lovv of gases into said bomb-projecting barrel and to deect the same into said tube, and rifling on the exterior of said tube adapted to cooperate with internal riing on a tubular extension of a bomb for imparting rotary motion thereto upon projection. v

6. A bomb-projecting attachment for ries, comprising a tubular member for attachment to the muzzle of a rifle barrel and provided with a bore in alignment with the bore of the rifle barrel, a sleeve mounted on said member and having a bore registering with the bore in said member, a tube carried by and surrounding the upper outer portion of said sleeve, the lower portion of said sleeve being externally threaded, a bomb-projecting barrel having a lower internally threaded portion threadedly mounted on the threaded portion of said sleeve and an upper i.

portion surrounding the upper portion of said tube in spaced relation thereto adapted to receive a bomb having a tubular projection which surrounds said tube for receiving the explosion gases discharged from the muzzle of the rie through the bore of said member into said tube, said sleeve having passages for the escape of gases from its bore into the bomb-projecting barrel, an annular valve body surrounding said sleeve adjacent said passages, means carried by said bomb-projecting barrel for forcing said Valve body into engagement with the lower portion of said tube to prevent the flow of gases into said bomb-projecting barrel and to deflect the same intoV saidrtube upon rotation of said bomb-projecting barrel to axially displace it in the direction of projection of the bomb.

7. A bomb-projecting attachment for rifles, comprising a tubular member for attachment to the muzzle of a rifle barrel and provided with a bore in alignment with the bore of the riile barrel, a sleeve mounted on said member and having a bore registering with the bore in said member, a tube carried by and surrounding the upper outer portion of said sleeve, the lower portion of said sleeve being externally threaded, a bombprojecting barrel having a lower internally threaded portion threadedly mounted on the threaded portion of said sleeve and an upper portion surrounding the upper portion of said tube in spaced relation thereto adapted to receive a bomb having a tubular` projection which surrounds said tube for receiving the explosion gases discharged from the muzzle of the rifle through the bore of said member into said tube, said sleeve having passages for the escape of gases from its bore into the bomb-projecting barrel, an annular valve body surrounding said sleeve adjacent said passages, means carried by said bomb-projecting barrel for forcing said valve body into engagement with the lower portion of said tube to prevent the ow of gases into said bomb-projecting barrel and to deflect the same into said tube upon rotation of said bomb-projecting barrel to axially displace it in the direction of projection of the bomb, indicia on the eX- terior of said bomb-projecting barrel, and a pointer carried by said member adapted to cooperate with said indicia to directly indicate the degree of closure of said valve body.

LUIGI SAVANI. 

